Car sales statistics for the subcompact SUV / crossover segment in the US, updated every quarter.

Sales in the US subcompact SUV segment fell by 6.0% to 103,825 in the fourth quarter of 2017, the first time ever the segment has encountered a quarterly fall in sales! Overall in 2017 the segment still gained sales, growing by 7.0% to 424,724, but there is feeling that with the first-generations of pioneers getting older the segment [Read more…]

To me one of the biggest surprises of the LA Auto Show was Nissan’s announcement that the Kicks will replace the Juke in the Subcompact SUV segment. Is this a copout for the once-bold manufacturer, or an astute business decision?

After seeing its growth dip into the single digits in the second quarter of the year, the subcompact SUV segment rebounded in style in the third quarter – with sales 15% higher than in Q3’16 it was the second-fastest growing segment over the past quarter (second only to premium compact SUVs). With 12% growth YTD, highest among the non-premium SUV segments, the subcompact SUV segment registered 320,899 sales in the first three quarters, not far off the 376,213 registered in the subcompact segment, which suggests that the two could be neck-and-neck in 2018. With the new Hyundai Kona and Kia Stonic coming to market soon, and the new Toyota C-HR still building up its sales, the segment’s healthy growth is likely to continue in the near future.

Segment no longer enjoying rocket growth, but new models can be expected to lift sales in the second half of the year

After registering the fastest rate of growth from among all non-premium SUV segments for the past four years, the subcompact SUV segment has been locked in a tight battle so far this year. As it stands, with 10.6% of growth in the first half of the year, the segments falls right in between the mid-sized SUV segment (9.5% growth) and the large SUV segment (11.1% growth). With the new Toyota C-HR making waves, the still relatively new Honda HR-V gaining sales at a fair clip, and the Hyundai Kona and Kia Stonic joining the party, it is reasonable to expect the segment will, just about, come out top by the year’s end.

After booming growth rates in the last couple of quarters, the Subcompact SUV segment takes a brief moment of pauze, although its 12.1% growth rate to 93,249 sales is still much better than any of the other mainstream segments with the exception of the Full-sized SUV segment. The reason for the slower growth pace is the lack of new models to the segment lately, but that will pick up later this year as Hyundai and Kia are expected to launch their small crossovers Kona and Stonic, Toyota will launch the C-HR and Ford will bring an updated version of its EcoSport to the US, while Volkswagen will be traditionally late to the party with the T-Roc which isn’t expected Stateside before 2019.

In the meantime, the segment is shifting between winners and losers, with the entire top-4 consolidating thanks to double digit increases, with the #4 growing the fastest and the #1 the slowest, while the bottom 3 are all losing by double digits and therefore falling further behind.

Sales in the Subcompact SUV segment surged by a whopping 44.1 percent compared to 2015, the fastest rate of growth by far in 2016, and more than double that recorded by the second-fastest growing segment, Large SUV. What’s more, with 396,960 sales in 2016 the Subcompact SUV segment surpassed the Large SUV segment in sales for the first time, and should reach half a million sales in either 2017 or 2018. However, it’s important to keep in mind that, for all its growth, the segment remains relatively small compared to the other SUV segments: 2016 saw over 1.8 million Mid-sized SUVs being sold, as well as almost 3.1 million Compact SUVs. [Read more…]

The booming sales growth of the subcompact crossover segment is starting to flatten out, with “just” 18% growth in Q3 of 2016, compared to almost doubling in size in the first half of the year. Of course, as successful newly released models celebrate their first anniversary, and no new models hit the market, it’s only natural for sales to stabilize somewhat. Still, the segment outgrows the overall market fairly and squarely, and only two out of the seven models in the segment lose volume, with four out of the remaining five still in double or even triple digit growth. The segment leader Jeep Renegade is starting to lose its dominance, with just 25 sales separating it from the segment #2 in the third quarter. [Read more…]

Sales of subcompact SUVs and crossovers continue booming in the US, almost doubling its sales to 183,758 units in the first half of 2016. While the growth rate in the second quarter, 50 percent, was not as impressive as the 162 percent growth rate the segment recorded in the first quarter, it still made it the fastest-growing segment by a mile – the second-fastest growing segment, Minivans, grew by 25 percent by comparison, while the market overall grew by only 1 percent over the first half of the year.[Read more…]

Sales of subcompact SUVs and crossovers are booming in the US as they are in Europe, helped by an influx of new models as the segment has grown from just three players in the first quarter of 2015 to seven this year. Total segment sales grew 162,5% to 83,163 units, by far the fastest growth of all mainstream SUV segments, but it’s also still by far the smallest segment in terms of volume. We also have a new leader in town, as the Jeep Renegade is an instant blockbuster. It finished its introduction year in third place behind the two General Motors models, but has taken firm control of the segment in 2016, selling 27% more than its closest competitor, the former segment leader Buick Encore. Not that Buick, or GM for that matter, has anything to complain about: the Encore still added almost a quarter to its volume of last year, and that’s before it’s being facelifted later this year. The Chevrolet Trax drops from second to fourth place but manages to improve 42% on its volume of Q1. As a result, General Motors is still the leader of the segment with its twin models, ahead of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles with its two models. [Read more…]

Sales in the subcompact SUV segment rose by an astonishing 214% between 2014 and 2015, driven by the introduction of five new models to the market in 2015, which more than tripled the number of models to seven. It is clearly a fast-evolving segment, but no longer a niche one with almost 300,000 sales in 2015. In fact, it is entirely conceivable this segment will reach 500,000 units in 2016 as new carmakers enter the segment, and more and more consumers switch away from their mainstream hatchbacks and downsize from their compact SUVs. [Read more…]